The majority of new-route activity in New Zealand during 2016 occurred during the summer period, with a number of new alpine rock climbs. Starting in the Darran Mountains, in January, Conor Smith and I climbed the northeast face of Pyramid Peak (2,295m), covering 250m of new ground to the right of the 2002 Brown-Williams Route to reach the upper north ridge (grade 18/5.10a). I then paired up with Stephen Skelton for a new line on the northeast face of Marian Peak (2,102m), called End of the Earth, Top of the World (500m, 18/5.10a), and then to make the first ascent of the south face of Mt. Tuhawaiki (2,092m) via Bloody Jack (500m, IV, 4, 19/5.10b).

Farther north, on the main divide, Pete Harris and Alastair McDowell made the first ascent of the west ridge of Mt. Percy Smith (2,465m). Michael Eatson, Tawny Flagstaff, and Trev Ponting teamed up to climb a new route on the east face of Mt. Arrowsmith (2,723m): The Outlier (350m, IV, 4, 20/5.10c). And Steven Fortune and Kieran Parsons established Oma Rapeti (600m, IV, 4+, 17/5.9) on the southwest face of Mt. Huxley (2,505m). Finally, Stephen Skelton and I teamed up with Danny Murphy to make the first ascent of the northwest face of Mt. Aspiring (3,033m); see photo above. We climbed 700m of new ground, at grade IV, 6, 19/5.10b, to join the upper north buttress just below the summit.

Moving into the winter season, Steven Fortune, Kieran Parsons, and Conor Smith made the most of thin conditions to put up a technical five-pitch mixed and ice line on the east face of Mt. Talbot (2,105m): Tears of Papatuanuku (IV, 7). I made the second winter ascent of the east face of Fastness Peak via a new 700m route, and Lukas Kirchner and Janette Heung established a new route on the south face of Mt. Aspiring. To round out the year, Richard Bassett-Smith and Stuart Hollaway made the first ascent of a new ice and mixed line on the Hidden Face of Mt. Tasman (3,497m) in mid-December: One Longer Day (VI, 5+). Unfortunately, this was to be Stu’s last climb, as he was tragically killed, along with his partner, Dale Thistlethwaite, descending from Mt. Silberhorn later that month.

– Ben Dare, New Zealand